Melrose High School Senior Named Posse Scholar

Adonis Logan Receives Scholarship to Attend Centre College in Kentucky

MHS senior Adonis Logan was selected as a Posse Scholar and will attend Centre College in Kentucky in the fall. (Courtesy Photo Melrose Public Schools)

As part of his work with Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston: Yawkey Club of Roxbury, MHS senior Adonis Logan traveled to India last year to complete community service projects. Above, Logan is seen in Jaipur, Rajasthan. (Courtesy Photo Melrose Public Schools)

MELROSE — Superintendent Cyndy Taymore is pleased to announce that Melrose High School senior Adonis Logan is one of 10 students in Massachusetts to be selected as a Posse Scholar at Centre College in Kentucky, where he will receive full tuition reimbursement throughout his four years studying environmental science.

Logan will be officially recognized for his accomplishment during a ceremony on Jan. 17 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston. This year, 60 students from Boston will be awarded a collective $11.9 million in four-year, full-tuition Posse scholarships at Centre College, Bryn Mawr College, Bucknell University, Denison University, Hamilton College and Union College.

Founded in 1989, Posse is a college access and youth leadership development program that identifies public high school students who have excellence in academics and leadership, but may be overlooked by the traditional college selection process.

Each year, Posse partner colleges and universities award merit-based leadership scholarships to only 10 students, who are then placed in a supportive, multicultural team. These students meet regularly, from the time of their acceptance into the program until their graduation more than four years later.

Adonis, who is part of Melrose Public Schools’ METCO program, was nominated by METCO Director Doreen Ward last spring. After a lengthy and competitive interview process, Posse notified Logan in December that he received a scholarship to Centre College. He will head there upon graduation from MHS and plans to major in environmental science.

“When I found out I got in, I was very happy,” Logan said. “I was like, ‘Is this it?’ It didn’t really kick in, and I don’t think it’s really going to kick in that I’m going until I get on the plane.”

Logan excels in the classroom and is involved in several extracurricular activities, both at MHS and outside of school.

“Adonis is one of those students who has never shied away from a challenge,” Ward said. “He is a leader and is extremely deserving of this Posse scholarship.”

At MHS, Logan is president of the Do The Right Thing Club, which is the school’s only group that brings students together to talk about and address current events and social injustice issues.

He’s also been a part of the Melrose Alliance Against Violence since his sophomore year and regularly participates in informative assemblies, completes walks against domestic violence and creates literature surrounding teen dating violence, alcohol use and more to educate students.

Outside of MHS, Logan is an active member at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston: Yawkey Club of Roxbury. As president of the Teen Leadership Program, Keystone, Logan is involved with numerous community service endeavors, mentors his younger peers at the Boys & Girls Club and attends national conferences each year to expand his skills and education. Additionally, through the Boys & Girls Club, Logan was one of 12 people selected out of a group of nearly 40 to travel to India last year to complete additional community service projects.

“Being accepted into this nationally recognized and renowned program is a tremendous accomplishment,” Superintendent Taymore said. “While we’ve had Posse Scholars in the past, we’ve never had an MHS student represented at Centre College, so this is an exciting first for the district.”

About METCO:

The METCO Program, established in 1966, is a voluntary desegregation program intended to eliminate racial imbalance by expanding educational opportunities to students in Boston and increasing diversity at suburban partner schools. Melrose first implemented a program in 1974, and since then, has had five Posse Scholars, including Adonis Logan. Previous recipients include Chyna Powell – Bucknell University, Alexandra Collins – Bucknell University, Deborah Centeio – Bryn Mawr University and Danielle Taylor – Bucknell University.

About Posse:

The Posse Program is one of the most successful college access and youth leadership development programs in the country. Posse has chapters in Atlanta, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City and Washington, D.C. More than 7,700 Posse Scholars have been accepted into top- tier universities. They have earned over $1.1 billion in full-tuition, leadership scholarships from Posse partner institutions. There are 2,700 scholars on college campuses across the country and over 3,600 Posse alumni. Posse Scholars persist and graduate from college at the exceptional rate of 90 percent—significantly above the national average.

Melrose Police Charge Juvenile Following Incident at High School

MELROSE — Police Chief Michael L. Lyle reports that the Melrose Police Department charged a student following an incident at Melrose High School this morning.

A 16-YEAR-OLD MALE JUVENILE, OF MELROSE, is charged with Disrupting a School Assembly and Assault and Battery on a Police Officer. He was scheduled to be arraigned at Cambridge Juvenile Court today.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., administrators at MHS received a report that a male student may have made threats and may be in possession of a firearm.

School administrators immediately placed the school into lockdown mode, while the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School sheltered in place.

The School Resource Officer and administrators responded to the student’s classroom and detained the juvenile. After conducting a search of his person and backpack, no weapon was found.

Soon after speaking with police, the juvenile student became agitated and started to leave the building. Melrose Police pursued the student, who became aggressive and refused to comply with officers’ instructions.

Melrose Police eventually placed the student under arrest. During that process, one Melrose Police Officer suffered a leg injury and was treated and then released from a local hospital.

The lockdown was lifted at 9:45 a.m. and classes resumed as normal.

“I want to stress that there was never any danger to the community during this incident,” Chief Lyle said. “I commend faculty, staff, administrators, students and officers for their work today and know that our community shares its thoughts and well wishes for our injured officer as he recovers.”

MHS Briefly Placed on Lockdown Following Threat

Student Detained Following Altercation with Police Where Officer was Injured

MELROSE — Superintendent Cyndy Taymore and Police Chief Michael L. Lyle report that Melrose High School was briefly placed on lockdown following a threat this morning. A student was then detained by police, injuring an officer in the process.

The sequence of events is as follows:

At approximately 9:30 a.m., administrators at Melrose High School were informed by a parent that a male student may have a gun in the building.

MHS immediately went into a lockdown and the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School went into a shelter in place. The Melrose Police Department was immediately notified.

The MHS School Resource Officer, along with school administrators, went to the classroom of the student in question and took him into custody, confiscating his backpack in the process.

Upon a search of the student, he had no weapons on his person or in his backpack.

When confronted, the student would not listen to the instructions of police and left the building. He was then detained by police outside MHS. During that altercation, a police officer was injured. The police officer was taken to Melrose Wakefield Hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.

The lock down and shelter in place were lifted at approximately 9:45 a.m. and classes resumed as normal.

Superintendent Taymore and Chief Lyle would like to stress that at no time was anyone in the schools or community in any danger and there was never a weapon in the building.

Melrose Schools Work with Texas High School to Help Families in Need After Hurricane Harvey

MELROSE — Melrose High School Principal Jason Merrill and Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School Principal Brent Conway announce that the two schools are partnering with a Texas high school to help families in need following Hurricane Harvey.

With recovery and rebuilding efforts now underway, members of MHS and MVMMS wanted to do their part to help those affected by the hurricane in Texas. A Melrose resident, who has a work connection to Mayde Creek High School in Katy, Texas, suggested MHS and MVMMS partner with the school. Katy was hit with a devastating amount of rain and flooding, leaving many residents with nothing.

To assist those students, families and community members in need, Mayde Creek High School set up an Amazon.com Wish List. MHS and MVMMS have shared the link with students and parents, many of whom have selected items to send over to their sister school.

“Help comes in all forms, and while we may not be able to go to Texas to assist in the relief efforts, we can do something right here in Melrose,” Principal Merrill said. “For anyone looking for a way to support residents in Texas, we encourage you to check out Mayde Creek’s Amazon page and give what you can.”

“Students, faculty and staff at both the middle and high school really wanted to do their part to help families who were affected by Hurricane Harvey,” Principal Conway said. “Every little bit counts, and I want to commend the students who have taken the initiative to help their peers.”

To find out more about Mayde Creek High School and its relief efforts, click here. Those who would like to donate to the school, can visit its Amazon page here.